By: Mark Wasik
Friday, September 8
7 p.m. – Kennesaw State (4-2, 0-0 ASUN) vs Wake Forest (6-0, 0-0 ACC)
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Video Steam: ESPN+ (Jordan Griffitt,
Lauren Chastang, Natalie Bode)
Saturday, September 9 (Griffin's Game)
6 p.m. – Kennesaw State (4-2, 0-0 ASUN) vs Mississippi State (4-2, 0-0 SEC)
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Video Steam: ESPN+ (Bryce Gaubert,
Lauren Chastang, Natalie Bode)
Sunday, September 10
12 p.m. – Kennesaw State (4-2, 0-0 ASUN) vs Western Michigan (7-0, 0-0 MAC)
Location: Convocation Center | Kennesaw, Ga.
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Video Steam: ESPN+ (Bryce Gaubert, Chris Duenow, Natalie Bode)
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State volleyball, after spending the first two weeks of the season on the road, returns to the Convocation Center for potentially the best field for a home tournament in school history. KSU's three opponents are bringing in a combined 16-1 record into the Kennesaw State Invitational, with Wake Forest (6-0) and Western Michigan (7-0) both sporting perfect records, while Mississippi State is 4-1 through its first five games. All three teams rank in the top 40 in the nation in the Massey ratings as well. The Owls will play Wake Forest in their home opener on Friday at 7 pm, followed by Saturday's 6 pm contest against Mississippi State, and Sunday's 12 pm match with Western Michigan. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Saturday is also Griffin's Game for the Owls, the annual fundraiser contest started by KSU head coach Keith Schunzel in honor of his son and the fight he won against childhood cancer. This year's special honoree is Matthew Hart of Acworth, Ga., who has been fighting cancer since he was diagnosed 10 years ago. All proceeds from Saturday's game will go to Matthew's family in their efforts in fighting this terrible disease.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sophomore outside hitter Johnsen came on strong at the end of last season on the way to earning Second Team All-ASUN honors, and she finished the season pacing the Owls in kills per set (3.09). Also earning All-ASUN honors in 2022 senior defensive specialist
Shelby Dennis (4.48 digs per set), and senior middle blocker
Claire Parsons (1.10 blocks per game), both of who ranked among the ASUN leaders in several categories. Senior setter
McKinley Ferguson had an outstanding junior campaign for the Owls, and finished the year averaging 10.39 assists per set and also led the Owls in service aces (0.37 per set) while adding 90 kills, seventh-best on the team from the setter spot.
SCOUTING THE DEMON DEACONS...
Last season marked the first time Wake Forest posted back-to-back winning seasons in over 20 years. The Demon Deacons look well on their way to making it three straight as they have started the season with six straight wins, which included most recently victories in the UCF tournament over Alabama State, UCF and FIU. This is a rematch of a tournament game a year ago in Winston-Salem, where KSU suffered its first loss of the season in a 3-1 setback to the Demon Deacons. Paige Crawford is pacing the squad in kills with 80 (3.64 kps), while Ava Carney is right behind with 68 (3.09 kps). Rian Baker is having a strong year with 10.41 assists per set, while Emma Farrell is posting 4.09 digs per set. As a team, Wake Forest is hitting an impressive .300, while its opponents have been held to .172.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS...
Mississippi State started the season with a sweep of its own StarkVegas Classic, and then posted a 1-1 record at the UCF Challenge last weekend where it fell to the host UCF squad before topping FIU. Saturday's game between KSU and Mississippi State will be the third in program history, with the series currently tied at 1-1. Leading the team in kills is Karli Schmidt with 74 (4.11 kills per set), while a pair of setters have been strong for Bulldogs thus far in 2023. Alexa Fortin Goede and Emily Oerther have posted 93 assists and 83 assists, respectively, while adding 34 and 23 digs. Lauren Myrick is pacing the backrow with 5.44 digs per set (98 for the year).
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS...
Included among its impressive start to the season is a 3-0 road win at Michigan for the Broncos, and they have outscored their opponents 21-5 coming into this weekend. Sunday's game will be the second all-time between the two, with WMU having won the first matchup in 2014. Pacing the team is Logan Case, who leads the MAC and is ninth in the nation with 11.35 assists per set, while Keona Salesman has a team-high 85 kills (3.7 kps). Andelyn Simkins tops the squad in digs with 3.88 per set.
JOHNSEN CLAIMS WEEKLY ASUN HONOR...
Thanks to an outstanding start to the season that has her atop the league stats in both total kills and total points, Manu Johnsen was named ASUN Player of the Week on Aug. 28. Over KSU's three games in the Bearcat Blackridge Invitational, Johnsen totaled 47 kills (4.27 kps) and 52 points (4.73 pps) in leading the Owls to wins over North Dakota and Oregon State, and a tight 3-1 loss to host Montana State.
POWER FIVE VICTORIES...
KSU's 3-1 win over Oregon State on Aug. 25 marked the first-ever win for the Owls against a Pac-12 school, in four total meetings. The Owls will have three more opportunities this season for a win over a Power Five school, against Cincinnati on Sept. 1, against Wake Forest on Sept. 8 and Mississippi State on Sept. 9.
JOHNSEN EARNS PRESEASON ALL-ASUN NOD...
Manu Johnsen was one of seven players recognized by the ASUN as a preseason all-conference selection in the 12-team league. She ranked in the top ten in several categories in 2022 while earning Freshman of the Year honors and second-team all-conference recognition from the ASUN.
